Fu Lin had thought it through clearly. The emperor was obviously heartless and ruthless towards the Fu family, showing no respect to the Empress Dowager and the Empress. In that case, there was no point in the Fu family compromising any further. It would be better to fully support the Empress Dowager in suppressing the emperor. What use would the emperor be after the Empress gave birth to a legitimate son? At that time, they could help their grandson sit on the dragon throne. The young child would need someone to rely on, and the Fu family's power would definitely be much greater than it is now.
Furthermore, he would never admit to acknowledging Furong and making the Fu family a laughingstock; that would be a stain on the Fu family for life, and a disgrace to the Empress. Since the Empress Dowager couldn't kill Furong back then, he would do it. The dead cannot be brought back to life, and no matter how furious the Emperor is, he can't touch the Empress Dowager and the Empress's families. All the Fu family needs to do is keep a low profile for a few years, letting the Empress Dowager pressure the Emperor to give the Empress a child; that will be enough. The Fu family won't be disgraced; it's a win-win situation.
His method was indeed a brilliant way to break the current stalemate—ruthless, swift, and fearless. However, Mo Yun had already placed a personal maid by Fu Rong's side, and Fu Rong herself was no fool. The moment they made a move, Fu Rong alertly ordered the palace servants and guards to protect her closely. The maid Qi Hong also gave her advice: send someone back to the palace to seek help from the emperor, and send someone out to widely publicize that today was the day the Fu family was adopting a daughter.
Furong's identity was kept secret from the public, since the purpose of recognizing relatives was to conceal her identity. Therefore, Qihong had people spread the word that Madam Fu and a woman got along very well, and that Lord Fu recognized her as his daughter. This woman was about to enter the palace and be made a concubine, and the Fu family was very fortunate.
Thus, as long as the Emperor bestows a title upon a new concubine soon, even if the Fu family does not acknowledge her as a relative, in the minds of the people of the capital, this new concubine is also the Fu family's adopted daughter, and they cannot deny it.
Furong and Qihong racked their brains to deal with the Fu family, refusing to go no matter who invited them. Later, the steward became anxious. Drowning one or two people was one thing, but if all the palace servants and guards were killed, it would be impossible to cover it up publicly. After much deliberation, he decided to go all out and set a fire, closing the courtyard gates tightly, intending to burn Furong and everyone she brought with her to death, which could at least be considered an accident.
To save face, he burned down the other two courtyards nearby as well. Fu Lin immediately laughed heartily, "Good! Excellent! Let my nephew know that the Fu family is not to be trifled with!"
Protected by the guards, Furong tried to find a way to escape. The guards climbed onto the wall, but were immediately knocked down with thick sticks. Furong looked around with a grim face. "Lord Fu is determined to trap us to death. It seems the Fu family truly hates me to the bone."
Qi Hong comforted her, "Don't worry, Your Highness. Xiao Mingzi has already entered the palace, and the Emperor will definitely send someone to rescue you. If we go out now, we might be captured. Why don't we stay here and wait for the Emperor?"
Qi Hong knew in her heart that the Regent must have made arrangements, so she was confident to wait. But Fu Rong did not know. She was used to men being heartless and ungrateful, and she did not trust the emperor's sincerity. She was also not sure if someone would come to her rescue. In her eyes, this was a dead end, and she was so angry that her eyes turned red!
Qi Hong quickly steadied her, stopping her from turning angry, and said anxiously, "Master, the fire is getting bigger. Let's find somewhere to hide quickly. The Emperor cares about you so much, he will definitely come to save you. We will protect you and ensure you are not harmed in the slightest. We'll settle accounts with that old scoundrel when the Emperor arrives!"
Furong regained her composure and calmed down. Losing her temper now would be pointless; if the emperor really came, he would likely despise her upon seeing her true nature. She had almost lost her composure in despair just now. Since things had come to this, she would pretend until the very end. Even in death, she would firmly occupy a place in the emperor's heart and make the Fu family his enemy!
Furong shed a tear in front of everyone, then wiped it away, her face hardening. "Find some blankets and soak them in water. Everyone, find a safe place to hide immediately. Don't rush out and cause unnecessary casualties. You all came out with me, and I don't want to see anything happen to you. If I die here today, it's not your fault. Hide! The Emperor will definitely come!"
The guards, who had suffered many injuries during the breakout attempt, had become much more genuinely fond of Furong. They had thought she would order them to fight to the death, and they were truly fortunate to have such a caring master who valued their servants and their lives. Furong's words also gave them great confidence; who didn't know the emperor doted on Furong? Now that they had gone to inform her, the emperor might really come.
After Furong rallied the morale, everyone gathered some water-soaked blankets and found a place far from the fire where there wasn't much smoke to hide.
The Fu family residence was engulfed in flames, which Xu Zifan naturally noticed. He led his men to the Fu family, intending to discover the situation and rescue Furong under the guise of attending the ceremony. Unexpectedly, he received news on the way that the emperor had left the palace. After a moment's thought, he realized that Mo Yun and Xiao Shunzi had done something again, which was even better, as it would cause the emperor to arrive in person and create even greater conflict.
Xu Zifan instructed the driver to take a different route, deliberately encountering the emperor not far from the palace. He said to the emperor with knowing but disapproving eyes, "Your Majesty is going to the Fu family? Your Majesty should prioritize the country and its people. Why bother with such a trivial matter? You should know that sometimes the emperor's favor is not a good thing. It may cause Furong to be criticized as a femme fatale."
The emperor, who was most annoyed by his lectures, said absentmindedly, "I'll go and take a look. I don't know why, but I feel uneasy and restless."
Xu Zifan looked at him expressionlessly, "Your Majesty, are you suspecting that the Fu family will harm Furong? The Fu family can raise such kind-hearted people as the Empress Dowager and the Empress, how could they do such a thing?"
The emperor nearly coughed up blood. His supposed kindness was all a lie; how could Xu Zifan not see it? He was truly blinded by the Empress Dowager! He scoffed, "The Regent seems to have forgotten that the Empress Dowager recently sent assassins to kill Furong; my injury stemmed from that."
Xu Zifan frowned. "The Empress Dowager loves her son dearly..." He seemed unsure how to offer an excuse for her, and sighed, "Your Majesty, the Fu family is your maternal family. You mustn't become estranged from them. Lord Fu has recognized Fu..."
"Rong is a woman. Even if the ministers in the capital knew the inside story, no one would gossip about it, and the common people would be even less likely to know what's going on. Lord Fu has no reason to disobey the imperial edict to deal with Furong."
Xu Zifan glanced at the emperor's displeased expression and said, "Since Your Majesty is so worried, I will accompany you. After the ceremony, Your Majesty should take Furong back to the palace directly to avoid Your Majesty becoming suspicious of Lord Fu and creating discord. Your Majesty, the Fu family is loyal to you. Instead of focusing your attention on this, Your Majesty should pay more attention to state affairs."
The Emperor could tell that Xu Zifan was very unhappy with his suspicion of Fu Lin. This was a case of loving the house because of the owner; Xu Zifan liked the Empress Dowager, so he took special care of the Fu family and trusted Fu Qiuwen's good reputation, having no doubt that the Fu family had ulterior motives. At this moment, the Emperor actually hoped that the Fu family would do something foolish, so that Xu Zifan could see for himself what kind of people they were.
Xu Zifan rode in the same carriage as the emperor. They hadn't gone far when Shaohua alerted them that a palace servant was running within 500 meters. Taking advantage of the emperor's inattention, Xu Zifan flicked a small piece of silver, striking the servant's pressure point. The servant's leg went numb, and he cried out in alarm, collapsing to the ground. Xiao Shunzi and the others immediately looked over. Xiao Shunzi instantly recognized the servant as one of the people who had been with Furong; these were all people he had arranged.
Xiao Shunzi rushed over to help the palace servant up. The servant grabbed Xiao Shunzi immediately, his eyes shining, and exclaimed excitedly, "Eunuch Shun! Quick! Go save Princess Furong! Lord Fu is trying to harm Princess Furong!"
Xiao Shunzi's eyes lit up. "What happened? What did Lord Fu do?"
"This servant came out early and only knows that Lord Fu intends to harm Mistress Furong, but this servant saw that Mistress Furong and Qihong looked very anxious..."
"Okay, is your leg alright? If it is, then follow me."
When Xiao Shunzi got up, he looked anxious and panicked. He ran to the carriage and whispered to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, it seems that something has happened to Consort Furong. She sent Xiao Mingzi to ask for help, saying that Lord Fu wants to harm her."
"What? The audacious Fu Lin actually dares to defy the imperial edict! Quickly, get to the Fu family!" The emperor's anger flared up instantly, and he urged them sternly.
Xu Zifan frowned and remained silent. After the car had driven for a while, he gave a deep order to the outside world, "Tell De'an to send someone to the Fu family."
"Yes, Your Highness." The attendant replied and immediately set to work.
The emperor sensed Xu Zifan's displeasure in his voice. Besides anxiety, a secret sense of pleasure also arose in his heart. As long as Xu Zifan saw the true colors of the Fu family and the Empress Dowager, what would they have to rely on? Just because the Empress Dowager deceived him, he would not let it go. What man could tolerate his beloved deceiving him for six years?
However, the emperor also had a concern: if Xu Zifan hated the Empress Dowager, would he still wholeheartedly assist him as emperor? If Xu Zifan harbored hatred for the Empress Dowager as well, that would be troublesome.
The emperor quickly lost interest in these matters, for he heard the whispers of passersby on the street, lifted the curtain, and saw the flames engulfing the Fu family's residence. His expression immediately changed, and he urged the carriage to hurry to the Fu family's house. He jumped off the carriage and was about to rush inside. Xiao Shunzi and the others knocked on the gate, pushed aside those blocking the way, and cleared a path for the emperor. Before Fu Lin and the steward could receive the message, the emperor had already rushed to the outside of the Hibiscus Courtyard.
Seeing that the Fu family servants had trapped the courtyard with thugs and the entire courtyard was engulfed in flames, the emperor knew without asking that Furong was inside. He was furious, his eyes turning red with rage!
"Fire! Put out the fire for me! If anything happens to Furong, I will exterminate your entire family!" the emperor roared, pointing at the servants.
The servants panicked immediately and all looked at the steward. The steward, however, was completely out of his mind; he was terrified and collapsed to the ground, his face ashen. If everyone were dead, and the emperor questioned Fu Lin, the matter could be covered up by claiming an accident or leaking information, and a mere maid could be used to deflect blame. Even if Fu Lin was demoted by the emperor on some pretext, it wouldn't implicate him. But now, having been caught in the act by the emperor was a different story. The emperor had witnessed him leading the servants to prevent Fu Rong from escaping. Whether Fu Rong lived or died, none of them would escape!
The steward was speechless, and the servants were in a panic, not knowing what to do. At this moment, Xu Zifan strolled over leisurely, and Fu Lin also rushed over after hearing the news. Xu Zifan glanced at Fu Lin and said coldly, "Aren't you going to put out the fire? The Emperor's words are law. If anything happens to Miss Furong, none of your nine generations of relatives will escape."
Fu Lin's face was grim. Although he was less afraid because he had something to rely on, he didn't dare to openly defy the imperial decree in front of the emperor and the regent. He could only order his servants to put out the fire. However, he didn't call more people, secretly hoping to burn everyone inside to death by delaying the fire.
Fu Lin braced himself and stepped forward, bowing and saying, "Your Majesty, Regent, it's too noisy here. Why don't we go to the hall and sit down?"
The emperor kicked him, the force of which sent Fu Lin flying two meters away. His face was ashen. "Fu Lin! I will settle this score with you today!"
Fu Lin clutched his abdomen, his face contorted with rage, a surge of hatred rising within him. He never imagined the Emperor would kick his uncle in public. They were blood relatives, and the Emperor's actions today only solidified his belief that he had done the right thing. Only by having the Empress give birth to a prince could they find a way out.
Xu Zifan stood aside, not getting involved in their conflict. At this moment, they didn't need anyone else to distract them; it was best for them to focus all their energy on hating each other, so that the hatred could seep into their very bones.
He had Shaohua scan Furong's location, and they saw the situation of the entire courtyard on the virtual screen. They arrived in time; the fire hadn't been burning for long. The people inside were hiding in the open space of the courtyard, and the fire hadn't reached them yet. The heat and thick smoke were just making them almost unconscious. A moment later, De'an arrived with his men, and Xu Zifan pointed directly to the gate, saying, "Take some men and rush in to search. The fire is so big; if anyone is alive, they must be hiding in the open space."
De'an and the others poured buckets of water over themselves, smashed down the door, and rushed inside, dodging the surrounding flames.
De'an focused on searching the open space in the courtyard. Qi Hong heard the noise and ran out. When she saw the people coming, she immediately cried for help. They quickly took everyone out.
Furong felt much more at ease. As she ran out, she deliberately smeared some black ash on her face and messed up her hair when no one was looking. She ran out of the courtyard looking rather pathetic, tears welling up in her eyes.
Seeing Furong's tear-streaked face, as if she had suffered a great ordeal, the Emperor was immediately heartbroken and rushed forward to embrace her, offering words of comfort and concern. Fu Lin, however, was dumbfounded. If he had simply killed her, the matter would have been easily resolved. But now, while the person wasn't dead, he had also deeply offended the Emperor—a huge loss indeed! Furthermore, every time the Emperor saw Furong in the future, he would remember this incident, and Furong would inevitably whisper in his ear, making it impossible to let the matter rest!
Xu Zifan glanced at Furong and Qihong, and when the emperor was about to take Furong back to the palace to see the imperial physician, he spoke up: "Lord Fu, now that the person has been rescued, can we open the ancestral hall and add people to the family genealogy?"
The entire hall fell silent instantly; even the emperor hadn't expected this to proceed. Xu Zifan's expression was icy, his gaze fixed on Fu Lin like a sharp blade. Without giving Fu Lin a chance to refuse, he forcefully made his decision: "Does the Emperor and I still have the right to allow your Fu family to open an ancestral hall? Or does Lord Fu intend to defy the imperial decree, deceive the emperor, and plot to usurp the throne?"
With such a huge accusation leveled against him, Fu Lin finally turned pale. "Regent, don't talk nonsense!"
"Is this me spouting nonsense, or does Lord Fu harbor ulterior motives?" Xu Zifan glanced at the three courtyards still burning and sneered, "Whether it's intentional or unintentional, Lord Fu should think it through carefully. There have been instances in history where entire families of relatives of the emperor were exiled."
Fu Lin was stunned, staring at Xu Zifan in disbelief, speechless for a moment. He had his own backing, but the Empress Dowager and Empress he relied on depended on Xu Zifan. Xu Zifan wielded great power in the court; if he wanted to list the Fu family's crimes and exile them, no one could object, and he could even fabricate the crimes. Now Fu Lin was truly panicked, unsure of how to handle the situation.
Xu Zifan bowed to the emperor, his face cold. "Your Majesty, I was blind and ignorant, unaware that Fu Lin was so vicious, almost causing Miss Furong's death. If Your Majesty does not wish for Miss Furong to acknowledge Fu Lin as her father..."
Furong had already started plotting while nestled in the Emperor's arms. It was her first time meeting Xu Zifan, and seeing him able to suppress Fu Lin and seemingly favor the Emperor, she began to scheme. She'd heard that the Regent doted on his daughter, so he certainly wouldn't adopt her to influence the real Xu family's daughter. As for other officials, those willing to adopt her were definitely not from respectable families. Since Xu Zifan could now subdue Fu Lin, this was the best possible outcome—it would alienate the Empress Dowager and the Empress's faction, and also grant her a high status. After all, she couldn't rely on anyone else anyway; a high status was paramount.
Furong tugged at the emperor's sleeve, her face pale, and said, "Your Majesty, this is not the time to make a scene. I don't want Your Majesty to suffer any more criticism. As for the matter of recognizing relatives... let's proceed as originally agreed. I thank Your Majesty for your planning, but... but I want to return to the palace and don't want to go to any other people's homes anymore, in case..."
She didn't say the rest, but the Emperor was already heartbroken. That damned Fu Lin had hurt Fu Rong's pride! She was a perfectly good young woman, and even in a brothel, she had maintained her chastity. How could she allow herself to be humiliated like this? If she were to be rejected by another family, how could Fu Rong bear it? He looked at Fu Lin with cold eyes. Since he had already harbored resentment towards the Empress Dowager, he might as well continue to acknowledge the Fu family!
He patted Furong on the back and said softly, "Don't worry, I will never let you suffer again."
He ordered Fu Lin to open an ancestral hall, but this time it wasn't about adopting a daughter or recognizing Fu Lin as her father. Instead, he directly added Fu Rong's name to Fu Cheng's lineage. Fu Cheng was Fu Lin and the Empress Dowager's brother, who had died many years ago without leaving any blood relatives. Now, the Emperor directly treated Fu Rong as Fu Cheng's blood relative, making her his cousin, the Empress's cousin, and the Empress Dowager's niece!
The Emperor addressed the pale-faced members of the Fu family: "The eldest daughter of the Fu family, Fu Rong, has devoted herself to praying for her parents for sixteen years, demonstrating the utmost purity and filial piety. From now on, the eldest daughter of the Fu family will be my Imperial Noble Consort Chun." He looked at the astonished crowd and gave a wicked smile, "The second daughter of the Fu family will be the Empress. Don't mistake her for someone else."
Furong, this courtesan, not only entered the Fu family genealogy but also suddenly became the eldest granddaughter of the main branch. Even Fu Qiuwen had to call her "elder sister." Old Madam Fu cried out and fainted. Fu Qiuwen's own mother also wept, glaring at Furong with hatred. Fu Lin, on the other hand, was devastated by the title of "Imperial Noble Consort," a rank equivalent to a secondary empress. The empress rarely bestowed the title of Imperial Noble Consort upon anyone during her reign, as it posed a significant threat to her.
Now that Furong has a family background, a noble status, and the emperor's favor, if she were to give birth to a prince before Fu Qiuwen, the emperor might depose Fu Qiuwen and make Furong empress!
The emperor reveled in their pained expressions, feeling immense satisfaction. With so many members of the Fu family besides himself, it was time to make them realize their place! He took Furong's hand and left the Fu family home with a smile. He was extremely pleased with this incident. Fu Lin probably never dreamed that Xu Zifan would help him, but that was Xu Zifan's character; he was certain he could use Xu Zifan to eliminate all threats in the future.